ElizabethThe Perspective of the virgin queen
by auralias.aura
Summary: Elizabeth wanted to please her father, the court and her country. This is her perspective of court life and the famous replacement of wives by her father, Henry VIII. A parallel story line based off the Boleyn Inherritance.


We have been riding for days; trotting through the lush English countryside to meet the court in London

Elizabeth

We have been riding for days; briskly trotting through the lush English countryside to meet the English court in London. I gaze across the land, the green rolling hills now sprouting with abundance. Circling the farm houses, tiny specks upon the distant hills, there is wheat, barley, and plump grapes as far as the eye can see. My tutor red hair becomes loose from its plait in the warm summer breeze as the sun shines down on my faire skin, allowing the soft curls to gently fall about my face. From where I stand, the land touches the vast sky and the towering walls encircling the great city seem to rise from the hills. In two days, I, Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the treasonous Queen Anne, will meet my new mother, yet another Anne. Anne of Cleves. It is said that she does not even speak our native tongue! I find I peculiar that at my mere age of nine years, I can fluently speak Latin, and French, and am learning to speak Spanish, and she, almost a spinster of twenty three years can not even speak English! The only languages she knows are French and Dutch! From this woman alone, I have concluded that the education for the women of Cleves is at a great disadvantage.

Two more days of riding pass slowly and I now I steady my horse as the trumpets strongly announced our arrival to London. The groan of the chain as the great bridge is lowered sends my horse into a state of fright. She shies beneath me, tossing her elegant head and standing upon her back legs. I feel like I am to breach the frontline in battle as my father King Henry VIII has done so many times. My insides lurch and scream with fright, but my face does not betray emotion. The thought of this scene playing out before everyone must make me look like one of the tapestries that used to line Queen Jane's birthing chamber, the one she died in giving birth to my half brother. Many think she died from a curse my mother bade upon the scaffold, but I think she died because of god's will.

After the excitement is over, we begin to make our way through the city. In which is a long and tedious process, though filled with blessings and well wishing, it seems like everyone wants to meet you and kiss your hand and although they are my people and I do enjoy caring for them, some are not keen on bathing or have breath that is as rancid as anything!

When we finally do reach the fortress, our party is well fatigued, and in great need of a hot meal, but the sun has began to set and although I am young, the life of the court has once again started up again. There shall be a masque tonight and I will be dressed as a woodland fairy draped in royal greens and striking gold silks imported from Spain along with the other young ladies of the court. Tonight is especially important for it is the last night that the king can call himself a free man, for after tomorrow, he shall be engaged to alas, another bride. Tonight is also the last night that he can presentably be with a lover, without losing the allegiance between two countries when the queen's advisors find out.

The whole idea of court life almost makes me laugh. Although, I am still considered a child, for I am not yet fertile and am not at an age in which I can be married and sent away, I know more than most of these grown women I am surrounded by! All their lives, they have been trained to catch a king, to dwindle themselves under his nose and maybe, just maybe, be a temporary lover to gain a title or some land for their family, not realizing that by doing that, they lose all of their prospect and all of their respect by the other men of the court. They don't want someone who has already lost her gems to another man. Even if he is the king of England! So they are plucked and sent away, back to their manors to rot. Becoming spinsters as they age, eventually becoming to old to marry. I swear on my life that I shall never risk my reputation to appease a man. Even if he is he king of England.

The masque was brilliant! I got to lead the procession of ladies instead of my older sister Mary! Her horse went lame and was not able to come until tomorrow! I was also even crowed the fairy queen! After the masque, we had an amazing feast! There was everything you could possibly imagine! There was even layered fowl! It's made up of a delicately carved swan that is filled with a duck, and the duck is filled with a hen, than a dove and than lastly a quail, stuffed with roasted hazelnuts! Oh it's truly fantastic! We had fruits brought up from Spain and the richest of wines brought in from France! It was truly fantastic! I have not seen father so happy since he married Jane, although he was still heartsick from the loss of my mother, and her treasonous acts. I also noted that William Stafford had his eyes on me the whole time! He is a fair rider and loves to engage in conversation about books and arithmetic. We do so share interests in other topics too. I wonder if father would consider him for me before he decides to send me away like his bastard children at Hever.

It has been such a long day and I so long for bed like the nightingale longs for the moonlight. Where as I unlike the nightingale, am quite sick of it so I do think that I shall head off to bed. I do so hope that this Anne of Cleves will be suitable and willing to converse with me. But I will not know until I see the dawn.


End file.
